Grodno Governorate
Grodno Governorate
Гродненская губерния | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
 Location in the Russian Empire | |
| Country | Russian Empire |
| Krai | Northwestern |
| Established | 1801 |
| Abolished | 1918 |
| Capital | Grodno |
| Area | |
| • Total | 38,671.5 km2(14,931.1 sq mi) |
| Population (1897) | |
| • Total | 1,631,645 |
| • Density | 42/km2(110/sq mi) |
| •Urban | 15.60% |
| •Rural | 84.40% |
Grodno Governorate[a]was an administrative-territorial unit (guberniya) of theNorthwestern Kraiof theRussian Empire,with its capital inGrodno.It encompassed 38,671.5 square kilometres (14,931.1 sq mi) in area and consisted of a population of 1,631,645 inhabitants by 1897. Grodno Governorate was bordered bySuwałki Governorateto the north,Vilna Governorateto the northeast,Minsk Governorateto the east,Volhynia Governorateto the south,Kholm Governorateto the west, andŁomża Governorateto the northwest. The governorate covered the areas of modern-dayGrodno RegionofBelarus,part of thePodlaskie VoivodeshipofPoland,and a small part ofDruskininkai,LazdijaiandVarėna districtsofLithuania.
Overview
[edit]Grodno, a western province orgovernorateof the formerRussian Empire,currently located inBelarus,was situated between about 52° to 54° N latitude and 21° to 24° E longitude, and bounded N by Vilna E by Minsk S by Volhynia and W by the former kingdom of Poland. Its land size was 14,961 square miles (38,750 km2). The province was a wide plain in parts, very swampy and covered with large pine tree forests. Of these,that of Białowieżain the district of comprising a circuit of over 100 miles (160 km) deserves notice. There, bisons were preserved. The navigable rivers are Niemen, Bug, Narev, and Bobra, the most important of those being theBug.The soil is chiefly alluvial intermixed with sand waws,[clarification needed]which was favorable for agricultureanil,rearing of cattle and bees. The atmosphere was damp, misty and the climate in winter was cold. Large quantities of rye, barley, oats, hops, hemp and flax were raised but the amount of fruit and vegetables grown was small. The products produced in the region were insignificant, but included woolen cloths, hats, leather, paper and spirits. There also a good export trade in grain, wool, cattle. Some forty fairs were held annually in the province.
It was divided into nine districts:
The administration of the whole province was in the governor appointed by the crown. In 1870 the population was 1,008,521 comprising Lithuanians, Poles, Belarusians, Tartars, and a few German colonists. Grodno's capital was Grodno, on the right bank of the Niemen, and was connected by railway with Moscow and Warsaw. It contained eight Roman Catholic, one Eastern and two United Greek Catholic churches, a chapel, and two Jewish synagogues. There were two fine erected respectively by Stephen Batory who died here 1586 and Augustus III (kings of Poland). Among other buildings were a public library, a school of a gymnasium, and several seminaries. The 24,789 were engaged in the manufacture of woolen hats, paper, and the preparation of wax. Three fairs were held annually.
Grodno was built in the 12th century until 1795 belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The diet held there in 1793 ratified the partition of Poland. Two years later Stanislaus, the last king, signed his abdication there.[1]
| Language | People |
|---|---|
| Ruthenians | 470,000 |
| Yiddish | 120,000 |
| Lithuanian | 100,000 |
| Polish | 80,000 |
| Russians | 20,000 |
| Tatars | 10,000 |
| Total | 800,000 |
| Religion | People |
|---|---|
| Roman Catholic | 380,000 |
| Eastern Catholic | 270,000 |
| Judaism | 120,000 |
| Old Believers | 20,000 |
| Muslims | 10,000 |
| Total | 800,000 |
Administrative divisions
[edit]The seat was inGrodno.It divided into 9Uyezds:[4]
- Grodnensky Uyezd(Russian:Гродно)
- Belostoksky Uyezd(Russian:Белосток)
- Belsky Uyezd(Russian:Бельскъ)
- Brestsky Uyezd(Russian:Брестъ-Литовскiй)
- Kobrinsky Uyezd(Russian:Кобринъ)
- Pruzhansky Uyezd(Russian:Пружаны)
- Sokolsky Uyezd(Russian:Соколька)
- Slonimsky Uyezd(Russian:Cлонимъ)
- Volkovyssky Uyezd(Russian:Волкавывскъ)
History
[edit]Slonim Governorate (1795–1796)
[edit]The governorate was formed in 1796, in the aftermath of the finalpartition of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,and originally known asSlonim Governorate,but that only existed until December 12, 1796, whenPaul Imerged it withVilna Governorateto formLithuania Governorate.[4]
The Slonim Governorate had 8 provinces:
- Brest (Russian:Волковысского)
- Volkovysskij (Russian:Виленского)
- Grodno (Russian:Завилейского)
- Kobrin (Russian:Кобринского)
- Lida (Russian:Ли́да)
- Novogrudok (Russian:Новогрудского)
- Pruzhany (Russian:Пружанского)
- Slonimsky (Russian:Слонимского)
Lithuania Governorate (1796–1801)
[edit]Just a year later, on December 12, 1796, by order of TsarPaul Ithey were merged into one governorate, called theLithuanian Governorate,with its capital in Vilnius.[5]
Lithuania-Grodno Governorate (1801–1840)
[edit]After Paul's death, by order of TsarAlexander Ion September 9, 1801, the Lithuanian Governorate was split into the Lithuania-Vilnius Governorate and the Lithuania-Grodno Governorate. The Lithuania-Grodno Governorate was restored within the borders of 1796 Slonim Governorate.[4]
The Lithuania-Grodno Governorate had 8 provinces:
- Brest (Russian:Волковысского)
- Volkovysskij (Russian:Виленского)
- Grodno (Russian:Завилейского)
- Kobrin (Russian:Кобринского)
- Lida (Russian:Ли́да)
- Novogrudok (Russian:Новогрудского)
- Pruzhany (Russian:Пружанского)
- Slonimsky (Russian:Слонимского)
- SokolkaProvince (Russian:Соколька)
Grodno Governorate (1840–1870)
[edit]In 1840 the word "Lithuania" was dropped from the name byNicholas I.[6]
In 1843, another administrative reform took place. TheVilnius Governoratereceived theLida districtfrom the Grodno Governorate[7]and theBelostok Oblastwas incorporated into it as the districts ofBelostok,BelskandSokolka.Also,Novogrudokone toMinsk Governorate[4]
The Grodno Governorate had 9 provinces:
- Brest (Russian:Волковысского)
- Volkovysskij (Russian:Виленского)
- Grodno (Russian:Завилейского)
- Kobrin (Russian:Кобринского)
- Pruzhany(Russian:Пружанского)
- Slonimsky (Russian:Слонимского)
- BelostokProvince (Russian:Белосток)
- BelskProvince (Russian:Бельскъ)
- SokolkaProvince (Russian:Соколька)
Bialystok-Grodno District (1915–1917)
[edit]The Grodno Governorate was occupied byGermanyin 1915 duringWorld War I.It was known as theBialystok-Grodno DistrictofOber-Ost.After thePeace of Rigaon 18 March 1921, which ended thePolish-Soviet War,[8]the governorate became the voivodeships ofBiałystok,NowogródekandPolesieof theSecond Polish Republic.[9]
Governors
[edit]- GeneralMaurice de Lacyof Grodno (died 1820)
- Mikhail Nikolayevich Muravyov-Vilensky(1830–1831)
Notes
[edit]- ^
- Russian:Гродненская губерния,pre-1918:Гродненская губернія,romanized:Grodnenskaya guberniya
- Belarusian:Гродзенская губерня,romanized:Hrodzienskaya gubernia
- Polish:Gubernia grodzieńska
- Lithuanian:Gardino gubernija
External links
[edit]- ^The new Werner twentieth century edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica.Akron, OH: The Werner Company. 1907. pp. Vol 11, p 183.
- ^Jeografia wschodniéy części Europy czyli Opis krajów przez wielorakie narody słowiańskie zamieszkanych: obejmujący Prussy, Xsięztwo Poznańskie, Szląsk Pruski, Gallicyą, Rzeczpospolitę Krakowską, Krolestwo Polskie i Litwę,p.214
- ^Jeografia wschodniéy części Europy czyli Opis krajów przez wielorakie narody słowiańskie zamieszkanych: obejmujący Prussy, Xsięztwo Poznańskie, Szląsk Pruski, Gallicyą, Rzeczpospolitę Krakowską, Krolestwo Polskie i Litwę,p.206
- ^abcd"Administrative division of Belarus: a historical information"(in Russian). Archived fromthe originalon 2006-10-26.Retrieved2009-12-30.
- ^Kulakauskas, Antanas (2002)."Administracinės reformos".Gimtoji istorija. Nuo 7 iki 12 klasės(in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Elektroninės leidybos namai.ISBN9986-9216-9-4.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-07-17.Retrieved2008-01-01.
- ^"Литовская губерния".Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary(in Russian). 1890–1906.
- ^Simas Sužiedėlis, ed. (1970–1978). "Administration".Encyclopedia Lituanica.Vol. I. Boston, Massachusetts: Juozas Kapočius. pp. 17–21.LCCN74-114275.
- ^K. Marek.Identity and Continuity of States in Public International Law.Librairie Droz 1968. pp. 419-420.
- ^Eberhardt, Piotr; Jan Owsinski (2003).Ethnic Groups and Population Changes in Twentieth-Century Central-Eastern Europe: History, Data, Analysis.M.E. Sharpe. p. 260.ISBN0-7656-0665-8.
 Western KraiGovernorates of the Russian Empire 1795–1912 | |
|---|---|
| Northwestern Krai | |
| Southwestern Krai | |